<p>I am posting this under a new member name. I feel the information I am going to provide, combined with my other posts, would be too identifying.</p>
<p>I would like some input from my fellow CCers on this situation.</p>
<p>S is in the midst of finals right now. The other day he checked his grades online for one of his courses and noticed a grade from a recent assignment was missing. He waited a few days assuming it would be posted but it was not. He emailed his TA and informed him/her of the omission and that he would like to come in to show the graded paper that was returned to him so the grade could be entered. Apparently, the TA did not record the grade anywhere. The TA said that he/she was too busy. There is also another grade missing from earlier in the semester that he has been trying to resolve over the last few weeks. S has emailed the professor, but has not heard back as of yet.</p>
<p>Now here is the dilemma. Finals end tomorrow and final grades will soon be calculated. The missing grades can severely impact his grade in this course and his cumulative GPA. He has a substantial merit scholarship that is dependent on maintaining a designated cumulative GPA. If the omitted grades are not put in, his GPA will most likely fall below the threshold and he will lose his renewable merit scholarship. Once the GPA is calculated and his scholarship is lost, I do not believe he can have it reinstated if the grade is later corrected. The loss of merit money is definitely enough to have a very negative impact on our family's economic position. </p>
<p>My question is: "Should I get involved? </p>
<p>I have considered trying to contact the professor and get a definitive answer on how this issue can be resolved on a timely basis. This is something I generally would not even consider doing but, due to the large potential lost of tens of thousands of dollars, I feel some action on my part may be necessary.</p>
<p>First, ask your S if he thinks you should get involved. If he says he can handle this on his own, let him try to -- but if he doesn't seem to be making any progress, you'll have to get involved. </p>
<p>I'm not saying that the money is more important than his self-esteem, or than his learning how to handle things -- but this isn't $20; this is big money. I'm sure you've raised him to be very capable, but sometimes we all need help navigating life. This may be one of those times for your son.</p>
<p>Maybe a call to the Fianacial Aid office instead? I'm thinking a professor wouldn't want a call from a parent but the financial aid office probably gets them all of the time. Ask their advice on what to do.</p>
<p>It sounds as if your S has been making good faith efforts to stay on top of the situation. If finals end tomorrow, can he then devote himself to fixing it immediately?</p>
<p>I certainly appreciate your concern regarding the scholarship. Can you and your S agree on a plan of action in which you are ready as a backup in case he needs it? Something like: S goes to TAs office as soon as finals are over with evidence in hand and firmly but politely insists that the matter be addressed immediately, explaining that he is facing potential loss of substantial funds. If he isn't able to resolve the matter (is brushed off by the TA again, etc), he goes to professor's office and does the same thing. If he is brushed off there--hard to imagine--you have a polite and pleasant letter ready to go addressed to the professor and CCd to the class dean or someone of that sort, explaining your concern and you send it. It should request that you and your S be notified when the matter is taken care of.</p>
<p>This would address several issues: 1) you would be certain that your S <em>really</em> has taken the necessary steps to resolve it, since he would know that you will send this letter and embarrass the heck out of him if he hasn't, and 2) you will have a paper trail in the event that there is an issue with his scholarship.</p>
<p>BTW, I'm thinking that if the TA has done this with your son's grades, he has probably done it with others' grades, and the professor is going to have to deal with it and probably be mightily annoyed.</p>
<p>S has copies of all the emails he has sent over the past few weeks. He has sent one to the professor asking to meet with him tomorrow, since it seems like the TA will no longer be available(?). His feeling is that he does not want to leave campus until it is resolved. What is most annoying is that the class was not required for S's major. He just took it because he was interested in the subject matter.</p>
<p>He has not gotten a response from the professor as of yet. I saw a copy of the email he sent and it was quite polite. However, he did not mention the scholarship aspect. I will suggest to him that he send another email after he finishes his last final this afternoon.</p>
<p>I think that mentioning the scholarship is key. The professor will have much more sympathy than for a kid who is simply grade-conscious, and will be more likely to go out of his/her way to fix it quickly.</p>
<p>My only suggestion is that, if there are future emails, they be cc'd to the financial aid director, so that financial aid is aware of the situation on an ongoing basis, rather than trying to get up to speed later. It may be too late for that now, but as a suggestion for future correspondence.</p>
<p>I agree with Jude_36 that one should cc the financial aid people. He might try re-emailing the TA with a CC to the professor, and make sure to have him set out clear deadlines. Something like this:</p>
<p>Dear TA: I am concerned that my graded paper, Bug Flight in Space, on which you wrote my grade as an A (which documents that the student has it by indirectly telling the TA that the grade is on the paper and he has the paper) has not been entered and will not be counted towards final grade. </p>
<p>What steps are necessary for me to insure the inclusion of this graded paper in the final grade? PLease let me know as soon as possible as this grade is critial to my merit scholarship renewal. </p>
<p>Sincerely, student X.</p>
<p>Also, have him cc you, the professor and financial aid people.</p>
<p>Should you get involved directly? Not quite yet, but I think you should tell your son that if this has not been resolved within 24 hours of the time the final for this class is completed, you will be calling (not e-mailing) the professor yourself. (At the end of the semester, the professor may be inundated with e-mails, and the matter could be overlooked until after the grade has been recorded.)</p>
<p>The TA is completely irresponsible--s/he doesn't have the time to do her job?? It is not unheard of to accidentally fail to record a grade, but mistakes should be corrected immediately. All communication with the TA should be cc'd to the professor, so the TA knows that the information is out there.</p>
<p>edit: I'm a big believer in students handling these problems themselves, but if you intend to make up the lost scholarship money yourself, this is also your business--after a point.</p>
<p>And although I am always hesitant to bring in the "big guns" until absolutely necessary, I would also cc the department chair of the professor's department.</p>
<p>The end of the semester is a hectic time for everyone. The professor might overlook your son's email because of the flurry of activity and he/she might be relyingon the TA to handle all grading issues (which the TA should be doing BUT apparently is not). </p>
<p>The department chair might be more vigilent.</p>
<p>And, make sure your S talks about the scholarship issue clearly and pointedly. And mentions his repeated attempts to work with the TA to rectify this situation (not in a complaining way but in a way that highlights the fact your S has been diligent in his efforts to clear this up).</p>
<p>AND, if all else fails, you do need to get involved. </p>
<p>I'm a firm believer in not going over someone's head unless or until they have been given a chance to fix something and failed to do so. The TA has had his/her chance. The professor has not. Don't sow long-term resentment by going to the department head before the prof has had a chance to deal with the situation. If s/he doesn't, then absolutely. Other than that, I agree with Inthebiz completely.</p>
<p>I like Janey's letter. Only change: Instead of saying "What steps are necessary ...," I'd say, "I've been unsuccessful in past attempts to resolve the problem (see attached e-mails.) What further steps are necessary..." Send the past e-mails as attachments, of course. A cc to the department chair & financial aid is also a good idea. But have everything come from your son. </p>
<p>Good luck! The TA should be out of a job, frankly.</p>
<p>Most students are assigned a faculty advisor. This is the time for that advisor to to do some work for your son. If he has no such person, there is always some office, someone who will help in such situations.</p>
<p>When I got involved with my son's advisor, I was appalled at how little she cared or knew about his situation. Could not answer any questions, not willing to seek them. When I realized how useless this person was, that it was not just my son blowing off the whole thing, I got him to get someone more in the swing of things. I had called for a very mundane question, that I though she could most quickly answer, and found out she was truly a nada. It 's not a bad idea to find out who is assigned to your son, so you can see what he had to deal with.</p>
<p>S has already had his final in this course. That is why he is in such a hurry to have the corrections made. He is afraid that, if final grades post, he will have a harder time getting the grade corrected.</p>
<p>S does have an advisor. He is on the list of 'next people to see' if he does not get a response from the professor by tomorrow morning.</p>
<p>I most likely will accompany him, since I will be helping him move out for the summer.</p>
<p>If the scholarship is taken away, you can (and should) get involved in appealing that and getting it restored. But everything will be better if your son resolves this without your involvement (and it is eminently resolvable without your involvement).</p>
<p>I would agree on giving the professor a chance to respond. But I would very quickly have your son contact both his advisor and the dean of students if the issue remains unresolved much longer. Folks in those positions should be much more concerned with the financial aid/scholarship implications than a professor. At my son's school, the dean is very accessible (and has even given out his home phone number); of course its a small university.</p>